Wireless communication systems generally include an access terminal, commonly referred to as a wireless unit or mobile telephone, which communicates with one or more base stations when making a call. The access terminal communicates with the base stations on one or more channels within a frequency band assigned to the access terminal by a base station controller. A communication from the access station to a base station is made on what is called the “reverse link,” and a communication from the base station to the access terminal is made on the “forward link.”